I know everyone has said it, but… This is some of the most incredible artwork I’ve ever seen in a manga. It’s absolutely captivating. The level of detail in the clothing and landscapes in particular made me stop and really take my time with this volume.

I tend to enjoy slow paced, slice of life stories and there was a lot about this one I liked. I really enjoyed the historical setting and the cultural dynamics at play.

What I liked less was the age gap between Amir (20) and her new husband Karluk (12). I understand that this kind of arrangement may have been more common/accepted at the time and place depicted, and I appreciate that so far their relationship has been friendly/caring rather than sexual. And I liked that it was made clear that this was arranged marriage - that Amir was essentially sold off by her family for political gain; that Amir didn’t choose to be in this situation either. Buuuut there was still enough in here that made me feel uncomfortable (ie the yurt scene).

Part of me wants to continue on with this series (partly because the art is really just that special, but also because there is a lot here to like in the setting and story, too) but I’m just not entirely convinced. I’m not ruling this one out entirely, but volume two is not an auto buy for me at this stage.